Siamese cats are one of the most distinctive breeds from the feline kingdom, noted for its stunning dark brown and cream coat, sparkling blue eyes and slender shape.
Highly intelligent, incredibly vocal, and originally native to Thailand, it was reported in 2020 that the Siamese breed is the third most popular pedigree cat in the UK – behind the British Shorthair and Bengal – according to Scratch & Patch.
For pet owners who may have acquired their Siamese cat as a young kitten, they may have also noticed the rapid colour change of their fur while transitioning into an adult.
The trademark characteristics of the adult Siamese cat stem from the Himalayan gene, which was discovered in the breed in 2005.
This recessive gene, passed down from both parents, also gives the felines temperature-sensitive fur that can change colour, according to National Geographic.
The trademark characteristics of an adult Siamese cat stem from the Himalayan gene, which gives the felines temperature-sensitive fur that can change colour (Photo: Getty)
Siamese kittens are born entirely white, but, eventually, begin to cool at their extremities, which activates the melanin in their legs, ears, tails and face (Photo: Shuttershock)
In the womb, Siamese kittens develop at temperatures of about 101 Fahrenheit (around 38.3 Celsius) – the normal temperature of a cat.
The kittens are born entirely white, but, eventually, begin to cool at their extremities, such as their legs, ears, tails and face.
The lower temperatures outside of the womb cause the Himalayan gene to activate the body’s melanin, a pigment also found in humans.
It’s the reason why a Siamese cat’s body – which is warmer – stays light, but the cooler parts such as the paws and tail become more pigmented as they mature.
Betsy Arnold, a veterinarian who runs a cats-only practice in Rochester, New York, and started breeding Siamese as a teenager, said: ‘You can see them change.’
The veterinarian also stated that dark hues begin to spread their limbs at around two weeks old. By the time they’ve spent a month out of the womb, their final colour emerges.
The conclusive colour of their fur may be one of several varieties, among them blue point, lilac point, chocolate point, and seal point – which has a light, cream-colored coat – along with with dark brown hues on its paws, tail, nose, and ears.
Feline geneticist Leslie Lyons, from the University of Missouri, first identified the mutation in Siamese cats, and has stated that the Himalayan mutation naturally occurs in South Asian domestic felines.
The Himalayan gene is the reason a Siamese cat’s body – which is warmer – stays light, but the cooler parts such as the paws and tail become more pigmented as they mature
Dark hues begin to spread a Siamese kitten’s limbs at around two weeks old. By the time they’ve spent a month out of the womb, their final colour emerges
The Siamese breed is originally native to Thailand, with the Himalayan mutation also naturally occurring in South Asian domestic felines (Photo: Shuttershock)
As people selectively bred cats over time with the striking pale coat and dark points, they passed the gene to particular breeds, such as Siamese, Birmans, Ragdolls, and Burmese. Mixed breeds can also carry the genetic mutation.
The Himalayan mutation causes a Siamese’s fur to darken as the cat ages, though any sort of trauma or change to the cat’s fur – such as surgery wounds or a shaved patch on its coat – can alter its hues.
While there’s no extensive advantage or disadvantage to the mutation in the breed, Lyons said that it ‘does come with some health concerns, too,’ including eye issues.
Siamese often have crossed or misaligned eyes – also called strabismus – which can compromise vision as well as depth perception.
Even if the cat’s eyes are aligned, the feline may still suffer from nystagmus, or shaking eyes, a condition in which the eye at times dart slightly from side to side in uncontrolled movements that can cause vision or even balance problems.
In January 2023, it was reported that church minster Julie King, from Oregon, US, discovered her two Siamese cats were kleptomaniacs – who stole a little girl’s ballet shoes, a dress and even a pet hamster from neighbours.